Indiana

Yorktown, Indiana, ranked among cheapest, safest places to live

Published

1 month ago

February 10, 2026

Press Room

Yorktown, Indiana, ranked among cheapest, safest places to live

Terry Nelson
| Muncie Star Press

YORKTOWN — The children’s eyes widened.

Then the class of 26 third-graders in Michelle Kahoe’s class broke into spontaneous applause.

The students were told their hometown of Yorktown was recently ranked No. 8 of the “50 Cheapest, Safest Places to Live in the U.S.,” according to MoneyLion.com, a financial technical platform and mobile app.

To compile its list, MoneyLion analyzed cost-of-living metrics and FBI crime data to identify cities that combine affordability with safety. Using crime statistics and housing/expenditure data from sources like Zillow, Sperling’s BestPlaces, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study ranked cities where annual living costs stayed under $55,000 while maintaining low violent and property crime rates.

Third-grader Claire was not surprised.

“I like that Yorktown is not so crowded like in New York City,” she said. “You can walk around and see people know you or say ‘hello.’”

Classmate Trey agreed: “I know people everywhere I go.”

Wyatt said he likes “there are places to go fishing, lots of ponds in my neighborhood,” where he said he caught bluegill, bass and catfish. “No, I don’t eat them. I put them back in the pond.” Wyatt said his dad taught him how to fish at a young age, and he goes fishing when his father and friends go.

“We consider ourselves the ‘Diamond of Delaware County,’” said Chase Bruton, Yorktown town manager since 2023 and past president of the Indiana Municipal Management Association. “We pride ourselves as being one of the best places to live in East Central Indiana.

“We attribute this to the small-town feel, good schools, and a close-knit community,” Bruton said.

Third-grader Cambrie added, “The town is always beautiful and well kept.”

Although the median income for Yorktown residents ranges from about $50,000 to $80,000, depending upon the source, according to MoneyLion.com, the annual cost of living in Yorktown was determined to be $37,572 per household.

“The people here really do enjoy the small-town vibe,” said Bruton, who previously served as project manager for Plainfield, Indiana. “Plainfield (population 33,000) had a ton of revenue. We are a much leaner organization. The town does a really good job with allocating the resources we have. Population is just under 12,000, and we are the 75th largest Indiana community, bigger than eight or nine counties in the state.”

One of the free town highlights is the Civic Green, built in 2020, which includes a splash pad, a covered stage for concerts, and some private shelters. The Chamber of Commerce finances bands through sponsorships and donations, with the town providing the location. This year, the town will host 15 free concerts on Friday evenings from May 29 and weekly throughout the summer.

“Yorktown is not a dying community as many smaller towns are. We have a bright future,” Bruton said.

Yorktown employs 33 full-time staff including police, headed up by the Yorktown Chief of Police Kurt Walthour, who has held this position since 2022.

Yorktown enjoys safety in numbers

MoneyLion.com recognized Yorktown in part for its high safety marks. Violent crime rate was low, with 0.0508 crimes per 1,000 residents. Property crime rate was also low with 2.202 crimes per 1,000. Yorktown employs 11 full-time and three part-time officers, according to the police chief; the part-time officers all have more than 20 years’ experience.

The safety rating did not go unnoticed by third-grader Charlotte, who said, “I like that Yorktown is a small town. It makes it nice and secure.”

“Any kind of recognition like this No. 8 ranking is a reflection of the local leadership and officers in our community,” Walthour said. “Yorktown is a very good community for crime in general. Every so often we’ll get juveniles doing what they should not be doing.

“We are more of a residential community than business, and the younger officers are out driving around being seen,” he said. “Schools are very easy to work with.”

The police can be seen interacting with students in the schools, where two officers serve as student resource officers. Often, a part-time officer will serve in the schools, as well.

“I’ve talked to criminal justice classes at the high school, and am currently meeting with the middle school principal about putting something together and talking to middle school parents about their kids and social media,” Walthour said. “Especially after what happened with the girl abducted in Fishers. We can’t be in their homes, of course. The parents need to police their kids at home and know what they’re up to and (who they’re) communicating with.”

“Public safety is our priority. The community is safe, and there are attractions: Four Day Ray (newer restaurant in town) — and the parks are a huge thing. Morrow’s Meadows is packed and there are new basketball courts out there. The city is also improving the area for better handicap accessibility. … There is a new apartment complex being built,” Walthour said. “There’s not a day you drive around that you don’t have at least five or six people wave at you. You need the community to do your job.”

One longtime community member, Becki Monroe, who started the Yorktown Historical Society 21 years ago, says she now has a great-great-grandson who is ninth generation of four different families from Yorktown.

“We were here when they put in the dirt,” Monroe laughed.

“In the early years, families came and stayed in Yorktown because of all the employment — a glass factory, Warner Gear Transmissions — and so many were farmers,” Monroe said. “My great-grandfather was a business owner. He operated a pool hall, liquor store and card room in town.”

Today, new housing attracts people to Yorktown. In addition to the Civic Green is a farmers market.

The Farmers’ Market operates each Friday night, from 4:30 to 7:30, from May through September at Morrow’s Meadows on Smith Street across from the school.

Morrow’s Meadows was a particular favorite spot in Yorktown for Kahoe’s third-grade class. Zach enjoyed Morrow’s Meadows, right across from the middle school.

“After I pick up my brother after school, we go right across the street and play until we get picked up,” Zach said.

Payton liked that there were “lots of parks where you can ride your bike and scooter,” and Sawyer noted, “Morrow’s Meadows is right next to the Pizza King, where you can go after playing.”

Yorktown graduate Nancy Sears Perry, who is serving in her second term on the Yorktown City Council, is also a lifelong resident who said, “Our family rolled in with the wagons in the mid-1800s.”

Music, markets among other amenities

Together with her business partner, Jeff Tingler, also a Yorktown graduate, Sears owns and operates the Yorktown Farm and Artisan Market in a partnership with the town.

“We average 55 vendors each Friday night, and on the nights of the ‘Young Entrepreneur’ program, once a month, the vendors number around 75,” Sears said.

The program, which is for school-aged kids 6 to 16, encourages the students to operate their own food or craft carts at the market. Sears and Tingler provide some training and information packets for the children and their parents. “They have to go through the same certification, labeling, and state laws to participate,” Sears said.

Started in 2021, the Yorktown Farm and Artisan Market is serving more than its weekly Friday night attendance of 1,200 to 1,800 visitors through initiatives and grants.

“We have started a 501C-3 non-profit arm of the farmers’ market so we can apply for grants to fund our food insecurity initiatives. We are a SNAP retailer, certified through USDA,” Sears said. “We have applied for the ‘Double Up’ grant. If someone comes to our table and runs their EBT card for $20, we can give them $40 for SNAP qualifying items. This will be our fourth season of being one of the 17 farmers’ markets that offers Double Up.”

Through the Indiana Department of Health, Sears and Tingler sought the help of Yorktown High School family and consumer science teacher and FCCLA club sponsor Misty Terrell Green to be in the national “Power of Produce” program.

“Any child through eighth grade can stop by the Power of Produce table where they get a $2 token to buy produce at the market. The booth is attended to by FCCLA club members who distribute information to the students and play games with the kids. We budgeted for 75 tokens and had 464 kids in the first year,” Sears said. “Now we have over 500 kids taking advantage of the tokens.”

With everything from visits and demonstrations by master gardeners to craft participation headed up by a local artist to a farm family who bring their goats to pet, “this is why our market is hopping. We have become an attraction; we want to create an environment that the whole family can enjoy,” Sears said.

“It’s (Yorktown) a great place to be. Having grown up in Yorktown, this is where we wanted to raise our family,” the town council member said. “We are trying to create that third space where people go to work, home — and where is that third place people want to go?”

For third-grader Lucy, the place to go is the Yorktown Public Library, across Indiana 332 from the elementary and middle schools. “I like how they read books to the 2-year-olds,” Lucy said. “And then they have cooking classes. I have made chocolate chip cookies and smoothies.”

Baseball center and sometimes right-fielder Drew enjoyed the sports at Yorktown: “If you wanna try a sport, there’s all sorts of sports there and places where everyone can play. You can practice baseball and football.”

Addy likes that “the animal of our town is the tiger because he’s feisty.”

School and food places rank high

Schools are another reason for the satisfaction among Yorktown families, said 11th-year Yorktown High School Principal Stacy Brewer. The ranking “does not surprise me because — I’m probably biased, but — Yorktown is an excellent place to teach, work and raise children.”

Several third-grade students noted their teachers are “very nice and if you needed help, they helped you,” as Alex said. Sadie said teachers are especially helpful when “teaching long division.”

“We’re continually listed in the USA News and World Report’s top 10 percent of the state and country for our academic prowess,” Brewer said. “Most recently we were named to the Gold-level Advanced Placement School Honor Roll, awarded by the college board.”

The designation is given annually to schools with AP programs that broaden participation, foster college-going culture, and improve student performance. To earn the gold distinction, 75 percent of seniors took at least one AP exam, according to the AP site.

“Yorktown’s strength comes from the way our community looks out for one another,” the principal said. “Across all four schools, this means strong partnerships with families, a clear focus on student safety and well-being, and adults who are deeply invested in helping students succeed academically and personally.”

“When students feel supported and seen, school becomes a more stable, positive place – and that stability extends well beyond the classroom,” Brewer said. “I love working with the Yorktown community, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

The only other place many third-graders want to be is where food is being served.

Third-grader Dominick said he “liked the variety of foods in Yorktown, like burgers, and tacos, and French fries, and chicken nuggets …” It might be noted that McDonalds, Burger King and Taco Bell are all found along Indiana 332 when traveling from Muncie into Yorktown.

Classmate Braxton added, “Don’t forget Pizza King and Frozen Boulder,” while “Twisters Soda Bar” was added by Caden, whose favorite concoction was strawberry lemonade.

It was hard to believe the students had just come back to the classroom from lunch.

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Indiana

Indianapolis police investigate shooting near downtown canal

Published

6 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Indianapolis police investigate shooting near downtown canal

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — One person was taken to the hospital Monday night after a shooting near the canal in downtown Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded just before 8 p.m. to a shooting in the 300 block of West 9th Street. That’s an address within the 9 on Canal apartments near North St. Clair Street and West Senate Avenue.

Officers entered an apartment building and found a male who had been shot. He was taken to Eskenazi Health in stable condition.

A police report obtained by News 8 identifies the suspect as a male.

Police did not say what led to the shooting. No arrests have been made.

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Indiana

Does this diner serve the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Indiana?

Published

18 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Does this diner serve the biggest pork tenderloin sandwich in Indiana?

EDINBURGH, Ind. (Amazing America) — Is a trip to the Hoosier state complete without digging into a massive Indiana-style breaded pork tenderloin sandwich?

The Edinburgh Diner, a classic small-town joint about 40 minutes south of Indianapolis, serves up a delicious version of the staple that just might be the biggest one out there.

Drawing locals and road trippers alike, the menu at this cozy diner focuses on classic comfort food, with burgers, fries & onion rings, hearty breakfast spreads, and hefty portions of homestyle dishes — all for an affordable price.

The Edinburgh Diner’s 16-ounce behemoth of a pork tenderloin sandwich costs just $9.99.

The recipe is pretty simple overall, but there is a whole culture built around the Indiana pork tenderloin sandwich.

A large piece of pork is pounded super thin, then dipped in flour, egg and breadcrumbs. Deep-fried until golden brown and crispy, it’s served on a basic hamburger bun with toppings like pickles, onions, mustard, or mayo.

The thing the otherwise no-frills sandwich iconic is the pork cutlet being way bigger than the bun, hanging over the edge dramatically. Locals say that if the tenderloin fits inside the bun, it’s not done right.

A crispy, salty exterior, tender pork, a soft bun and tangy toppings combine to form a simple yet beloved, satisfying Midwest meal.

Inspired by European schnitzel brought to the Midwest by German immigrants, the sandwich made its Indiana debut at Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington in the early 1900s. Over time it skyrocketed in popularity, becoming what many call Indiana’s unofficial signature dish.

It’s not just a sandwich. It’s a slice of Midwestern food culture. The debate over who makes the best one might never be settled, but until then, we are more than happy to try any and every version of this scrumptious dish — for research, of course.

The Edinburgh Diner is located at 413 S Eisenhower Dr, Edinburgh, Indiana 46124. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Mondays.

We know there are plenty of other stories of unique landmarks and cultural experiences in all corners of the USA, and we’re making it our mission to find and highlight them. If you know of one, we’d love to hear about it. Send a DM to @amazingamericatv on Instagram!

For more amazing stories, click here to subscribe to Amazing America on YouTube and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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Indiana

New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

New judge lifts order blocking absentee ballots in Indiana Senate primary

(INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A special judge on Friday lifted an order blocking officials in three western Indiana counties from mailing absentee ballots in a Republican primary where President Donald Trump has endorsed a challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode.

Putnam County Superior Court Judge Charles Bridges took the step the same day he took over the dispute involving whether one of two women with the last name Wilson who filed to run against Goode in the primary should be removed from the primary ballot because of a 2010 criminal conviction.

The original judge on Wednesday had ordered the county clerks in Vigo, Clay and Sullivan counties to hold off on distributing absentee ballots involving the Republican Senate District 38 race.

Under state law, county election offices must start mailing requested absentee ballots on Saturday ahead of the May 5 primary.

Friday’s order from Bridges said that delaying those ballots would violate federal law and that the county court couldn’t prevent the clerks “from fulfilling their constitutional duties regarding the mailing of absentee ballots.”

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney argued before the Indiana Election Commission last month that she remained eligible since her 2010 guilty plea to a low-level Class D felony charge of resisting law enforcement at the age of 19 was accepted by a judge as a Class A misdemeanor.

The dispute has gained attention because of its possible impact on the campaign prospects of Brenda Wilson, a Vigo County Council member who has Trump’s endorsement against Goode following the senator’s December vote against the Indiana congressional redistricting plan.

The four-member Election Commission split 2-2 during a hearing last month on the challenge to Alexandra Wilson’s candidacy, with the tie vote leaving her name on the ballot.

Bridges set a hearing for Tuesday to review the Election Commission’s actions.

Alexandra Wilson’s attorney, Samantha DeWester, argued in a court filing that blocking mailing of primary ballots would wrongly hurt her client’s “ability to campaign and effectively run for elected office.”

Attorney Jim Bopp, who is a top political ally of Gov. Mike Braun and is supporting Brenda Wilson, is pursuing the legal case against Alexandra Wilson.

Bopp said he would not fight to keep the initial absentee ballots from going out with Alexandra Wilson’s name included.

“The vast majority of ballots that are going to be cast are, of course, in the future, with early voting and in-person voting,” Bopp told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. “That’s the most important thing to get right.”

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